Rotary engine.



F. A. ALB/IY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 13130.30, 1905.

Patented @10.24, 191.4A

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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F. A. ALMY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICA-HON FILED DB0. so, 1905.

1,088,391.. Patented Feb.24,1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 SHEETS-BHEET 3.

Patent-ed Feb. 24, 1914 P. A. ALMY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBG. 30, 1905.

4d/WV,

M attenua? I F. A. ALMY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 30, 190:). 1,0889A Patented Fm). 2A, 191A G SHEETSSHEET A H WM 'A F. A. ALM-Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIUILTION FILED 13130.30, 1905.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914 hmmm, i

Witwen@ i FRED A. ALMY, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

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Application filed December 30, 1905.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, FRED A. ALMY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Vashington, have invented a new and useful. Rotary Engine, of which the following is a clear and concise specification.

My invention relates to\a new and useful improvement in rotary engines and more particularly to engines first operating on the impulse of an explo-sion of gas and hav ing for the nextimpulse the steam generated by the heat of the gas thus causing the engine to operate alternately on steam and gas.

The objects of my invention are to provide an engine alternately operating on the impulse of the explosion of gas and with the admission of steam Within the cylinder; to "provide an engine in which a port-ion of the heat of combustion therein may be used to generate steam and to automatically regulate the water to take up the heat within the walls of the combustion chamber and walls of the'piston chamber.

These objects are accomplished by the construction hereinafter more fully set forth and succinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of my device taken on. the line .0ashown in Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow below said tigure. Fig. 2 is an elevation of my device in which a portion of the iiy wheel is broken away. l portion of the fly wheel is broken away and shown-in section to illustrate the cam race in the web of said fly wheel. Fig. 4t is a vertical longitudinal section of my device taken on the lines Z-Z viewed in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper part of the engine with the time valve and gas intake or check valve partly in section showing in dotted and full lines the posi* .tion of the cam and levers for opening the time valve. Fig. 6 isa fragmentary view of the liy wheel illustrating in detail the cam race which operates the abutment. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the thermostat for regulating the fiow of water to be admitted to the gas explosion, steam generating' and expension chamber of my device. Fig. 8 is a Specitcatien of Letters Patent.

Fig. 3 is a plan view in which a' Serial No. 293,590.

sion chamber.

Similar' reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of my device as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I have provided a body or cylinder (A) having at its lower extremity the base or bed plate (a). The body (A) is irregular in shape, both upon the interior and exte rior which may be understood by referring to the drawing. The top part (B) of said body (A) may be removed for the purpose of repairing the parts within said body (A) and is secured to said body by the bolts (6)1 The piston or impelling chamber (C) iS formed in the lower part of said body (A) which is provided with cylinder heads (D) which are extended to also cover the top portion (B) of my device and are secured to the portions (A) and` (B) by the bolts (c). By this construction and inclosed within the body (A) and cylinder heads (D) are formed three chambers which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

y I have provided a main shaft l which 'passes centrally and longitudinally through the piston chamber (C) and also. through the cylinder heads (D) which main shaft is rigidly secured to the' piston wing (Q) shaped substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, said piston wing 2 (fo-acting with an abutment which is preferably formed integral with the shaft 3 affording a means whereby power may be applied within said piston chamber (C) on the main shaft (l). provided with a neck 5 having a lower face G resting on the periphery of the shaft l, and conforming to the periphery thereof, said abutment is also provided with a face 7 at the lower extremity thereof which is adapted to engage the face S of said piston wing 2 when the projecting neck 5 is advancingir toward said shaft 1.

By referring tothe drawings it will be .seen that the oscillatingabutment is of a peculiar shape and has, in addition to the neck 5, the face 7 as well as the concave face (d) andthe convex faces (e), (f), (g) andy (it). In Fig. 1 the oscillating abut- Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

The abutment 4 is 4 10 may face of ment 4`is shown in its lowest position, the

face 6 resting upon the shaft and the -face 7 resting against the surface 8. The weight of the abutment is supported b means of the crank arm 9 which is provi ed with an outwardly projecting finger 10 adapted to travel within the cam race 11. The cam race 11 is 4.preferably provided on the inner surthe solid web of the fly wheel and by referring to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings the two positions of the linger be understood, the full lines representing the finger in the lowermost position, the abutment in this position resting against the shaft 1 while the dotted lines illustrate the raised 'position of the finger which also carries the abutment-to its raised position. Communicating with the intake or check 'valve (I-I). is -a passageway 12 through Iwhich is allowed to pass a suiicient quantity of gas to make a charge,which gas is delivered to the compression chamber (I) when the abutment 4 descends. Thesuction within the compression chamber (I) when the abutment descends opens the valve passage (H) by drawing the valve stem head 13 to the position disclosed in dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the accompanyingdrawings. It is to be understood that the opening of the valve (Gr) to the intake valve (H) takes place at each alternate revolution which is accomplished by a head 15 provided on `the valve stem 14 co-actin with levers and a cam hereinafter descri ed. The operation of the gas time valve (Gf) provided in the gas supply pipe (F) whichl leads to the carbureter, and the oscillating valve for admitting water into the gas explosion, steam generating and expansion chamber (J) is as follows. I have provided the pinion 16 secured to the shaft 1, said pinion meshinc with the gear 17 which is of twice the pito i diameter and loosely mounted on the stud 18 secured to one of said cylinder heads (D) which can be readily/.understood by referring to Figs. 4 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. I have provided a cam 19 which is preferably rigidly secured to said gear 17 and shaped substantially as illustrated in Fig. 5. I have provided a lin er 20 which is held against the periphery o said cam 19 by the spring 31y which rests against the vcrank arm 21 to which said finger is secured, and said crank arm 2l is rigidly secured tothe time valve 22, in which are formed the water passageways 23 and lubricant passageway v24 said passageways 23 and 24 registering with the passageways 25 and 26 respectively when said crank arm 21 is in the position as disclosed in the dottec lines in Fig. 5 allowing the water and lubricant to enter the gas explosion, steam generating 'and expansion chamber. When the crank arm 21 is in the position as shown in full lines in Fig. 5 and dotted lines in Fig.

2, the passageways 23 and 24 register with y the passageways 27 and 28 respectively. The passageway 27 communicates with the water supply pipe 29 which furnishes the water to be generated into steam at each a1- ternate revolution of the piston.

It is obvious that the gear wheel 17 makes one revolution to each two revolutions of the gear 16, thus the cam 19 will hold the c lflk arm 21 in a vertical position for one revolution and hold the oscillating time valve 22 in a closed position which revents any water from passing through t, e cylinder of the engine while the explosion of gas is taking y place also checking the gas from passing into the valve 22. The crank arm 21 will instantaneously upon the second revolution of said gear 16, take the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 by Pm- ]ectmg finger 20 in contact wit t e cam 19. This operation permits the water within the passageway 23 as well as the lubricant to gravitate into the gas explosion steam enerating and expansion chamber (J) an further opens the time valve (G) which admits gas to pass through the valve (H). The expansion chamber (J) having been heated by the alternate explosion of gases therein causes the water when entering said chamber (J) which is highly heated, to be almost instantaneously converted into steam at high pressure which produces the second power stroke.

When the crank arm 21 changes to the position disclosed in dotted lines in Fig. 5 the lever 32 is forced thereby into the position also indicated in dotted lines thus actuating the bell crank 33 which is pivotally held by means of the brackets (2') secured to the'portion (B), said bell crank opening the time valve (G) by raising the valve head 15 from its seat 12 which allows a flow of gas through the check valve (H) when the pressure is released in the chamber (I).1

Said portion (B) is provided with a by-pass 34 which communicates with the gas eXplosion steam generating chamber (J) after passing through the check valve 35. Spaced at a suitable distance apart and at 'each side of this lay-pass 34 are the passagesA or openings 36 which place the expansion chamber (J in communication with the atmosphere at the top surface of the part Secured to the top part (B) and within the explosion chamber (J) I have provided a thermostat (K) comprising a piece of brass 36 substantially of the shape and form shown and having a piece of unjfempered steel spring 37 secured thereto. The difference in eX- pansion between the brass and Asteel when heat or cold is applied imparts motion to a link 39 secured at the upper curved end 38 of the brass 36. Said linkis secured to the arm 40 which is secured to the shaft 41 reason of the spring 31 as before stated kee in the 'which passes through one vof the cylinder heads (D) and is provided at end with the grooved cam 42. Thus whenf' the thermostat is heated and expands due :tothe temperature within the gas explosionchamber (J), said cam 42 will be partially oscillated or rotated as theigroove thereon is angularly disposed relativelto the longitudinal axis of said cam. The projection 44 which travels therein will force a` water regulator stem 43 to travel longitudinally regulating the water in the passageway! Q3, the lubricant being regulated by the screw plug 46 as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

As noted heretofore the engine compresses the gas each alternaterevolution and the explosion takes place each alternate revolution.

yThe piston Q will thus be revolved by the exw plosion until exhausting the burnt gas through the opening (L) after which the abut-ment is raised and as no gas is admitted by the mechanically operated "valve (G) no fresh mixture will be admittedand the abutment will reverse its motion and travel downwardly forming a partial vacuum in the chamber (I) and if no steam is formed by admitting water before the partial vacu-V um takes place, air will be admitted aslong as there is a tendency to produce a vacuum in the combustion chamber (J It will be seen at each alternate revolution that if no fuel is admitted through the valve 123 and through the valve 35 into the explosion chamber (J and if no steam is generated in said explosion chamber, a partial vacuum will be formed whichwill draw air through the openings 36 and through the check valves 35.

The air inlets 36 assist in scavenging the cylinder by admitting a current of air and also release the partial vacuum formed during the rotation of the piston. I have provided an exhaust port (L) which is disposed near the end of the stroke or sweep of the piston wing 2. said piston wing 2 raising the abutment 4 and coi'npressing the gases within the chamber' (l), said gases having been admitted by the suction produced on the downward movement of said abutment 4 through the intake valve passage (H). The abutment 4 is assisted in its travel by the cam-way or groove 11 provided on the web of the tty-wheel as may be seen by referring to Fig. 6, said abutment is also assisted in its movement by the projection 5 traveling on the surface of the piston wing 2. The arm 9 and projection .l0 co-act with the said groove or cam-way 11 in raising and lowering said abutment, said arm 9 being secured to thel shaft 3 of .said abutment. It will be noticed that the general shape of the camway 11 resembles the shape of said piston wing 2 and travels in fixed relation thereto. The. gas is received and compressed within the gas explosion, steam generating and eX-' pansion chamber (J) after having been ad.-V mitted through the by-pass 34 aforesaid. rl`he spark plug 47 which ignites the charge of gas at yevery alternate revolution of the piston is also provided in said chamber (J) which is closed by the neck 5 when the abutf ment is in its upper position' as may be seen" by dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the abut'- ment 4 is in the lower position said expansion chamber (J) communicates with the piston chamber (C) by means of.. apassage (M).

.The operation of my device is .substany tially as follows: It is first necessary@ -l'j start the engine by cranking in the-fusuiinl way common to starting an internal combustion engine. The rst 45 degrees of the by-pass 34. The second revolution is differ? ent from the first. As the oscillating abutment 4 descends, gas 'is admitted from tite carburetor compressed, and ignited in the usual manner, the expansion of which revolves the piston wing substantially 270 degrees at which point the gases exhaust. It will be seen by referring to the drawings and as hereinbefore stated that the cam 19 .makes a revolution for each two revolutions made by the piston wing which in view of the peculiar shape of said cam, causes the gas to be admitted every alternate revolution of said piston and permits water and lubricant to be admitted in the chamber J, which by reason of the heat from the eX- plosion during the previous revolution causes the water to be evaporated forming steam which on the downward movement of the abutment is admitted within the piston chamber and therefore impelling the piston wing for 270 degrees, the steam then being exhausted. The action of the high pressure steam which has been generated within the chamber (J assists the downward travel of thc. abutment acting on the neck 5 until said neck has traveled sufficiently downward to have opened the port (M). During the remaining degrees of travel of the piston wing a new charge of gas is admitted to the explosion chamber (J) after having been compressed by the upward movement of the abutment in the compression chamber after which said gas is admitted into the cylinder and exploded as before. Thus steam is generated at each alternate revoiution and the explosion of gas takes place within the piston chamber alternately with the admission of the steam Which is generated by the heat stored Wlthin the Walls of the engine at the time of explosion. The

vadmission of the Water is regulated by 'the temperature Within the chamber (J) Which acts upon the thermostat (K) which operates the valve 4:3 as, hereinbefore stated. Thus the exact quantity of Water is admit-ted to generate steam Which takes up the heat stored Within the Walls of my device. It is obvious that. the chamber (J) Will be cold at the time of starting the engine and that the thermostat Willnot permit Water to enter until sufficient heat has been stored to evaporate all of the Water. I

I have provided an oil cup or reservoir adapted to supply the combustion chamber of my device with the proper quantity of oil.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary engine, a piston chamber, a piston wing traveling therein, an abutment and a neck formed on said abutment operating in contact with said piston Wing, a coi'npression chamber formed behind said abutment and means for supplying gas to said compression chamber, said abutment compressing said gas when raised, an eX- plosion chamber closed by the neck of said abutment when raised and communicating With said compression chamber through aA passage and a check valve in said passage.

In a rotary engine, a piston chamber, a piston wing traveling therein, an abutment and a neck formed on said abutment operating in Contact with said piston Wing, a compression chamber formed behind said abutment and means for supplying gas to said compression chamber, said abutment compressing said gas when raised, an explosion chamber closed by the neck of said abutment When raised and communicating With said compression chamber', and a thermostat provided in said explosion chamberand a Water supply valve connected to said eX- plosion chamber and conti olled by said thermostat whereby the quantity of water supplied to said explosion chamber is automatically regulated therein, the heated Walls of said explosion chamber evaporating the Water supplied thereto whereby steam is generated in said explosion chamber each alternate revolution of said piston.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED A. AIJMY. litnesses EMIL- L. DE Lamm, CHAS. W. PEARSALL. 

